Improvement in safety-pinion for watches



C. S. MOSELEY.

Safety Pinion for Watches.

Patented June 28, 1870.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES S. MOSELEY, OF ELGIN, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT lN SAFETY-PINION FOR WATCHES.

Specification flirining part of Letters Patent No. 104.756, dated June28, 1370.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GI-rARLns S. MosnLEY, ofElgin, in the State of Illinois, have i11- vented a certain new anduseful Improvement in Watches; and I do declare that the i'ollowing is afull, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective of thecenterwheel, with loose pinion and nut attached as in use; Fig. 2, avertical section of the pinion; Fig. 3, a side view of the nut, allbeing much enlarged.

My invention relates to that class of improvements in watches the objectof which is to prevent injury to the other parts of the same inconsequence of the breaking of the mainspring. This has beenaccomplished by the use of a loose pinion on the shaft of thecenterwheel; and I am aware that, to be used with such loose pinion, anut has been made having one ormore lugs or points projecting downwardfrom the under side of the nut, and, passing between the leaves of thepinion, so far counectin g the nut and pinion that the two movetogether, preventing the slipping of the pinion between the nut andwheel.

There are serious objections to this method of connecting the nut andpinion. It is difiicult and comparatively expensive to make the nut withthese lugs, and they are liable to become broken or detached from thenut, and hence are not entirely reliable.

The object of my invention is to provide a cheap, simple, eflicient, andreliable method of connecting the nut and pinion, so that when the watchis running the pinion cannot slip between the nut aud wheel, while ifthe mainspring breaks the nut will be loosened, thereby loosening thepinion.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, Iproceed to describe its construction and operation.

A represents the center-wheel of a watch, secured to the shaft 0 in theusual manner. B is a loose pinion, the construction of which is, in somerespects, different from any now in use. d (1 represent the leaves, a cthe body,

and f the interior of the same. The upper end of the hole through thepinion is enlarged and beveled, as seen in Fig. 2,13 '1 and this portionis milled or otherwise corrugated. Fl g. 2.)

( Sec 71,

The lower part gof the nut c is smaller than the upper part, andbeveled, as shown by Fig. 3, and the beveled portion of the nut is alsomilled or corrugated, so as to fit the other. The beveled portion of thenut is designed to fit into the enlarged portion of the pinion,

the corrugations of one corresponding with and fitting those of theother. These parts can be made and milled or corrug ted, as described,very rapidly and easily, before b ing hardened, by the use cfwell-ki'iown machinery. A piece of steel having its end shaped like thenut, and milled, may be used to mill the interior of the pinion.

The use of a nut having a smooth flat surface in cont-act with 'asimilar surface on the pinion is objectionable, and requires accurateadjustment.

By bevelin g the pinion andnut, as described, the areas of the surfaceswhich come in contact are greatly increased, thus securing a greaterdegree of friction between the two, even if the surfaces were smooth,and by millin g or corrugating these surfaces, as described, it will beimpossible for the pinion to slip between the nut and wheel. A decidedadvantage is gained by so constructing the pinion and nut that the lineof contact between them is nearly vertical, instead of horizontal.

From the foregoing description the operation of my device will bereadily understood.

This method of connecting the nut and pin i011 is eiiicient andreliable, and does not re quire accurate and careful adjustment in use.It is far superior to other methods heretofore in use. The constructionof the several parts secures strength and durability.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows:

The loose pinion B, when a portion of the opening through the same isenlarged, beveled, and milled or corrugated, as described, incombination with the nut 0, when one end is beveled and milled orcorrugated, as described, substantially as and for the purposesspecified.

CHAS. S. MOSELEY.

W itnesscs F. B. SHERMAN, F. A. West.

